Tales From The Land of Tigers

A beautiful game.

I've always believed that Genshin's biggest strength was its environments. Here you are, free to explore every corner of a region, unearth its mysteries & culture, meet new friends and best mighty foes. It almost feels like close-up magic how the story tells itself as you discover a region for yourself. Your own way. 

The music envelops you as you play, from heart-pumping percussion to solemn strings signifying a former civilization that once stood where you were. It's an amazing experience to say the least. 

Back then, we only had two regions.

Mondstadt, inspired by Germanic Europe & Liyue, inspired by the port cities of China. In these sprawling cities, you began hearing tales of another region. One across the ocean. A region no one dared to enter, ruled by a terrifying shogun. As murmurs grew stronger, you couldn't help but wonder what such a region would look like. 

There was this odd feeling of wanting to see it, yet doubt of whether you were ready. But we did. And it was unforgettable. 

I remember the day Inazuma was released. I had just finished my internship as a 6th semester student in uni, so you could say I was in a life-changing phase of my life. So getting to travel to a new region was all the more exciting and daunting. Emphasis on daunting. 

We first arrive at Ritou, a small port town full of merchants and traders. And right from the get-go, there was this sensational thrill and anticipation. Being greeted with the shakuhachi (a Japanese flute) along with a koto (Japanese zither instrument), instruments we've never heard yet told us that we were in unfamiliar territory. 

And unfamiliar is an understatement. 

I was in no rush to leave the port or get to the capital. I was set on gawking at every bit of detail I could find to fully take in Inazuman culture and learn what I could. As day turned to night, and we continued hearing tales of this ever-watchful shogun ruling over the land, there was this odd sense of...dread. 

Before this, we've been exploring fully familiar lands. Nothing could jump at you. Or even worse...kill you. But here, it felt like like the complete opposite. Beyond the beautiful plains, Shinto shrines, and serene foxes was a coarse, rugged land. Jagged cliffs hid strange ruin creatures. Rogue ronin leapt out at every corner. And you started to wonder..."why is it always raining?"

Each lash of lightning felt eerily targeted towards you. 

It was a feeling I haven't felt in a game for awhile. 

Suspense. 

Run

After traversing the land, anxious, yet excited, we finally arrive at Inazuma City. And right away, a multitude of emotions encircled me. It felt like arriving in a new country for the first time. There was so much to take in.

Sakura petals dancing around. Japanese street food. The absolutely breathtaking traditional Japanese music. Oh, I remember stumbling into this kimono store and being so enamoured that I spent 10 minutes just staring at all the designs.

a teppanyaki-like restaurant too!

Right then and there I decided I wasn't going to do anything else other than admiring and appreciating every bit of richness they put into this beautiful region. But, that was back then. Inazuma first released in July 2021. And at the time of writing this, it is now the 21st of August 2022. A whole year has passed since then, and looking back at an experience from the perspective of someone who has experienc(ed) is peculiar indeed. 

That is to say, back then we didn't know what was next. Where the story was gonna go. Who was gonna show up. But now, here I am writing this at the very end of our journey in Inazuma. 

I won't go over the full details of the story, in fact that are many more major places that I didn't have time to write about like:

Yashiori Island with the remains of the great serpent, Orobashi

Watatsumi Island, land of the divine priestess

and right below it, the lost civilization of Enkanomiya

Not to mention all the new characters we've met along the way. Perhaps we'll go over them another time. But for now, remember how we talked about how the Shogun wanted eternity for her nation? So what happened in the end? After fearsome battles, fierce duels, and a visit from an old friend, the mighty Raiden Shogun discovered that the only true eternity was...

change.

Change was the only constant thing, a inevitable, threatening force. But she learned to welcome change, nurture it, and let it sweep her nation with a newfound sense of freedom and free will. In the end, Inazuma did become a nation of eternity, fostered by the eternal love of their ruler. 

With every new region's release, a significant amount of time will have passed. In this case, a year. I'm still just a newborn when it comes to adulthood. It's scary how fast I reached this phase, jobs, rent, marriage, all things that seemed so distant now right at your doorstep. 

So every region not only has me reflecting on my experiences with the game, but also, how much my life has changed since the last region. I've changed as a person. People I used to play Genshin with have left. Met a lot of new ones too! 

All in all, despite how much changes, Genshin Impact will forever have that one precious sense of wanderlust, the appreciation for what has been, and anticipation for what has yet to be. And that, is a beautiful eternity. 

See you in Sumeru, dear travellers